Caught on Camera (Love Through a Lens, #1)

by Chelsea Curto

glance over at him, and he’s watching me. I’ve tried to ignore it, tried to not think about it, but there’s no point in denying the obvious truth: Shawn Holmes is hot as hell. Tattooed arms, dark hair, light eyes that border on gray. Six-foot-six, with muscles in places I didn’t know people could be strong. He’s all-around handsome, but his smile is his most devastating characteristic. Wide and bright, it stops you in your tracks. It’s genuine and a little shy, like he can’t believe he’s lucky enough to live a life like this.

“What the hell is going on?” I ask. “I don’t know,” Lacey says. Her voice is thick with emotion, and my heart lurches further up my throat with the sound. “He won’t… he hasn’t… It’s fine. I’m okay.” I turn my attention to the guy next to her and his hoodie and jeans. The stupid hat he’s wearing that covers his blonde hair. I could bench press him if I wanted to. Easily. The twerp can’t weigh more than a hundred fifty pounds soaking wet. “What’s your deal?” I yell, and he scowls. “None of your fucking business,” he snaps. “Your stadium fucking sucks.” “It’s not nice to make a lady wait,” I say. I jump onto the concrete blocks that separate the stands from the field. I pull Lacey toward me by her pigtails and settle my hand against the side of her neck. Her heart races under my palm, and I run my thumb down the column of her throat. Teardrops catch on her eyelashes, and her nose is as pink as a peony in spring.

Lacey grabs a fistful of my shirt and clutches the cotton like it’s her lifeline. Maybe it’s to keep me from falling headfirst to the turf. Maybe it’s to pull me closer. Maybe it’s to steady herself, because if she’s feeling anything like I am, it’s dangerously close to levitating high above the crowd. I bring my mouth to hers, slow enough so she can stop me if she wants, and her breathing hitches. When she doesn’t pull away, I smile big and wide. She gives me a shy grin in return and I press my lips against hers, kissing my best friend in front of seventy thousand people without a damn in the world, just as snowflakes start to fall from the sky.

Shawn drops his forehead to mine, and I blink my eyes open. My vision is hazy, foggy and lust-filled, but I can see him as clear as day. Tiny snowflakes hang on the ends of his eyelashes. Another lands on his nose and lingers there before melting away.

His cheeks are flushed. It’s cold outside, but he’s as hot as the sun. His thumb traces up my jaw and across my mouth. He pulls at my bottom lip like he’s claiming it for himself. As if that kiss didn’t just tattoo his name across every inch of my body. “Lacey girl,” he says, and his voice is low. Rough, and it sounds like my name has been pulled from the trenches of his chest. An exaltation he wants to bellow to anyone who will listen. My head is slow to catch up with my body. My limbs are heavy and my brain is working a few steps behind. How could it not be after he sent me to outer space? Our gazes meet, and there’s fire behind his eyes. A blaze burns in the flecks of gold in his irises. The longer he stares, the longer his attention doesn’t waver, the more I think I’d like the flames to engulf me. Make me one of theirs and never let me go. He takes a deep breath, and his chest heaves with the guttural inhale. My mouth opens to say something, anything, but words don’t come out. What little train of thought I have left vanishes when the flash of a camera goes off in my face, and a thousand white spots pop up in my vision. “Shawn, any comment on your relationship with this woman?” someone asks, and I reel back. My eyes widen, and my hand trembles as it covers my mouth. I look to my right and see a photographer. Their camera is in their hands and their finger hovers over the shutter button, ready to snap another picture. Reality rushes into me, a wave that knocks me off ba...

National television. My best friend kissing me in front of thousands of people. Shit. “Delete it,” Shawn says, and there’s not a lick of kindness behind the command as he holds out his hand. The photographer cradles the Nikon to his chest. The lens is so long, it could probably spot every pore on my face. Capture the horror in my eyes and the fear wedging its way between my shoulder blades like a visitor overstaying their welcome. “You can’t do that.” He lifts his chin defiantly in a challenge. There’s a badge hanging from his neck, and I see his name in big, bold letters. DARYL KENNEDY, ESPN. “It’s private property.” “This stadium is also private property. Delete it and hand over the disk, or I’ll make sure you never step foot in here again,” Shawn says, and I can feel his threat between my breasts. At the base of my spine, a fierceness I’ve never heard from him before coming from his mouth. “Asshole,” the photographer grumbles. He pops out the disk and drops it in Shawn’s hands. “Thanks,” Shawn says, and he shoves the disk in his pocket to keep it safe. He turns his attention back to me and tucks a piece of hair that’s snuck free from my braids behind my ear. “Are you okay?” “...

sweater. I’m still clutching his hair, and the dark brown waves are soft against my palm. Neither of us let go. “Okay,” I answer. “We’ll talk later?” “Of course. Milkshakes, right?” “Milkshakes,” Shawn repeats. “Right. Just like always.” His mouth closes then opens. There’s something else he’s not saying, but silence hangs in the air between us. Aiden is the one to break it. “Shawn,” he says, a gentle coaxing. “The guys are out of the locker room. The second half is about to start.” Shawn’s hand falls from my side, and he scoots back. His fingers curl around the metal railing and his eyes turn less soft as he looks over his shoulder. “I’ll see you all in the tunnel after,” he says gruffly. His gaze flicks back to my face, and there’s that dazzling smile again. My heart flutt...

It’s been hours of stewing, hours of thinking—knowing—I did something wrong. In the moment, though, I wasn’t thinking. I saw Lacey hurting, and I did something about it. A quick fix and temporary Band-Aid that comes with colossal consequences but… I wouldn’t take it back. That was the best kiss of my fucking life.

Shawn smiles. “Let me take those pies from you.” “So you can eat them?” I elbow his stomach as I head toward the kitchen, meeting nothing but muscle and firm lines of a toned body. He was probably at the gym before heading over here this morning, sweating with the sunrise. “I don’t think so, buddy.” “Just a taste,” he says. “You can wait, just like everyone else.” “You don’t play fair.” “I play fair. You’re the one who’s lacking self-control.” His hand rests heavy on my elbow and his fingers press into my skin, burning their way through the sleeve of my shirt. His grip tightens on my arm, and he stops me from moving forward. With a tug and a spin, I’m facing him, and I nearly drop the two pies as my back connects with the foyer wall.

“I have plenty of self-control, Lacey,” he says, and there’s a roughness in his voice that wasn’t there before. “But you should know I can be very persuasive when needed.” His touch moves to the inside of my wrist. He rubs a small circle over my pulse point with his thumb, and I wonder if he can feel my heart hammering in my blood. I can. Shawn blinks, and for the first time since I’ve known him, I notice the freckles across the bridge of his nose. A dusting of dots that look like constellations in the night sky. I see the hint of gray in his eyes, the hue as light as a wisp of smoke. Heat radiates from him, a furnace that engulfs me and draws me closer. A rebuttal sits in my throat, but I swallow it down. I’m not sure what I want to say, because with Shawn staring at me, words are hard to come by.

“Careful with the pies, Mags,” Shawn says. “Don’t let Lacey drop them.” “You and these damn pies,” I answer. “I’m going to smash one in your face if you’re not careful, and they’re not even that good. They have way too much nutmeg.” “Smash away, Lace. If I want something, I tend to get it. And I want those damn pies.” “Yeah?” I run my finger across the whipped cream on top of the smaller dessert, and I hold out my hand. “Prove it.” He narrows his eyes. “Are you sure about that?” “Of course I am.” I wiggle my fingers. “C’mon, honey. Where’s that self-control?”

“If you insist, sweetheart,” he says lowly, and oh, I kind of like it when he calls me that. His fingers fold around my wrist and his tongue sneaks out of his mouth, running up the length of my finger. His lips close over the tip, over the purple nail polish I painted on last night, and he sucks the topping right off. I did not think this through. It wasn’t meant to be erotic and sexy, foreplay to an activity we’ll never partake in because we’re friends, but that’s what it feels like this is. His eyes pin me with a heated gaze. His tongue licks over my knuckles and he hums, a satisfied rumble from the back of his throat. The sound vibrates against my skin, and my breathing hitches. I haven’t been with a man in months, too busy with work and wanting to spend my evenings in the bathtub with a glass of wine and a trashy reality show instead of making idle conversation with someone who doesn’t know what an erogenous zone is. If this is what I’ve been missing, though, I need to get back in the game. Nothing has felt this good in a long time. I almost moan when Shawn’s teeth drag up my finger and leave little bite marks on my skin. He can tell, the asshole, because he smirks. “Delicious,” he says. It’s barely more than a rasp, and I feel the three syllables down to my toes. I wonder how they would feel against my neck and the hollow of my throat. Between my legs. A

kiss on the underside of my breast and the rest of my naked body. “I told you I can be persuasive.” “Maybe. But you’re still not getting any pie,” I say when I find my voice, dragging Maggie with me as I escape Shawn’s clutches. “What was that?” Maggie asks. “Is there something you need to tell me?” “Yes,” I say, and her eyes light up. “But not in the way you’re thinking.” “Are you sure about that?” “Positive.”

“How’s it been after the viral video?” Kelly asks. “You two are taking care of yourselves, right?” “It’s been fine,” Shawn says, and his fingers trace up my leg. I’m not sure he realizes he’s doing it, but I don’t stop him. “The circus has died down temporarily. I have someone keeping an eye on Lacey, just in case a toolbag from the internet decides to act like an idiot.” My head whips to my left and I stare at him. “You what?” I ask, not sure I heard him correctly. “You have someone following me?” “They aren’t following you,” he says. “They’re making sure you’re safe.” “That sounds a lot like following to me.” I glare at him. “When were you going to tell me I had a stalker?” “Hey.” Shawn touches my cheek and tips my chin back. “If you want me to get rid of them, I will.”

“That would be nice,” I say. “Are they peeping in my windows, too?” He glances at the screen and gives his family a sheepish smile. “We better go. I’ll call you next week, Mom, to make sure everything is finalized.” “Sounds good. Love you, honey. It was great to meet you, Lacey,” Kelly says, and I plaster on a smile. “It was nice to meet you all too,” I say, and I wave goodbye. “See you soon.” Shawn closes the laptop, and he sighs. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.” I stand up and pace around his living room. “Why is someone keeping an eye on me? Are you expecting something bad to happen?” “No.” He stands up and tugs me toward him.“I care about you, okay? A whole fucking lot. And I know I’m not the most popular guy in the world, but I get letters from fans every week. Weird shit, like notes from women that say they want me to be their baby’s daddy.” “I know I give you shit about your fraternity boy calendar shoot, but you know I’m not great with football. How famous are you in the sports world?” “I won five Super Bowls. I have the league record for most touchdowns in a season. I’m fairly famous,” he admits. “I can’t really control it, and now that you’re associated with me, it’s my responsibility to keep you safe. I am going to keep you safe, Lacey. I’m sorry for not telling you. That was shitty of me.”

I suck in a breath. My eyes prick with tears, and I dip my chin. “You care about me?” I ask. My voice wobbles, and I sniff. “A whole fucking lot?” “Yeah, Lacey girl,” he says softly, and he tucks a piece of hair behind my ear. His thumb traces down my jaw, and my skin feels hot under his touch. “I do. Is that okay with you?” “Yes.” I nod. “That’s okay with me. I care about you, too.” “Good. I promise this guy isn’t looking in your windows or going through your underwear drawer. He just makes sure you get to and from work safely. He goes home at seven on the dot, and he’ll stop the minute I ask him to. Some of the players on the team have security for their other halves, too.” Before I know what I’m doing, my hands are holding his shirt and I’m tugging him toward me. “I’ve never had someone t...

“Will you let me know when you get to California?” I ask. His touch dances down my throat and his hand settles around the back of my neck. “Worried about me, Lacey girl?” “Yes,” I whisper, and I don’t miss the way he doesn’t use my last name like our usual sparring matches. “I am.”

Shawn hums, and I feel hot everywhere. I think lava courses through my blood at the sound. “I’ll miss you,” he says. “Life’s more fun with a fake girlfriend by my side.” “I’ll miss you too,” I say back. “But only because you can cook your ass off.” He laughs and frees me from his hold. He heads back toward the kitchen, and I watch him go. “Speaking of, want dessert?” he asks over his shoulder. “I have ice cream in the freezer.” “Sure.” I touch my neck where his hand rested, and I take a deep breath. “Sounds perfect.” Perfect, I think. Just like him. Oh, shit.

“Please eat something before you go out drinking, Lacey.” “I’m fine,” she says, and if she were in front of me right now, she’d definitely be waving me off. “I’ll text you later.” “Send me your location when you leave tonight?” I blurt out, then I slap my forehead with the heel of my palm. “Just in case.” “Worried about me, Holmes?” she teases, and I swallow down the lump in my throat. “I’m your boyfriend, Lacey,” I say lowly. “Fake boyfriend,” she whispers so softly, I have to press my phone against my ear to hear her. “Doesn’t matter. Fake. Real. I don’t give a shit. I take care of what’s mine, and right now, you are mine.”

“Okay,” she finally says. “Okay, I’ll send you my location.” “Good. Thank you. I hope you have fun with Maggie.” “Thanks, Shawn Yawn. Have fun in Cali. Catch some waves, bro,” she says, and I laugh. We’re right back to our normal selves. “See ya, Lace Face.”

“Hey, Coach,” she says, smiling up at me. “What’s up?” “Can you do me a favor?” “Is it the jerseys? I have them out with dry cleaning already.” “No.” I shake my head and rub the back of my neck. “It’s a personal favor.” “Oh.” Her eyes widen and she sits up straight. “What’s up?” “Can you have some food delivered to Lacey’s office in D.C.? She hasn’t eaten yet, and I know she’s not going to get something on her own.” Darcy’s face softens, and she pulls out her phone. Her thumbs fly across the screen, and I see an app open with a dozen culinary options. “Of course. What does she like?” “Sushi, I think?” “You don’t sound too sure.” “Yeah.” I nod and remember the time we went to an all-you-can-eat restaurant. Lacey devoured ten plates of spicy tuna rolls like it was a walk in the park. She leaned back in the booth with a sleepy grin on her face after she tapped out. “Sushi for sure. Use my credit card.” “You got it. I’ll get it ordered and sent to her within the half hour.”

Thirty minutes later, after I unpack my suitcase and open my computer to answer some emails, my phone pings on the desk. I open it and find a picture of a bag of takeout with a single red heart. Lace Face Thank you. Don’t tell anyone else, but you’re my favorite.

“I made chamomile, so you aren’t still awake in three hours,” I say. “I hope that’s okay.” “Sounds good to me,” he says. He takes the mug and sighs contently as his fingers wrap around the warm porcelain. “Thank you. This might be the highlight of my day.” “My tea isn’t that good, so I guess your day was that bad?” I ask, and I take a sip of my drink. “We don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.” “No, I—” Shawn stops talking. He sits up and looks around. “What’s that noise?” “Oh.” I set down my mug and grab a blanket to fold. “I put on some classical music before you came over. You said it helps you decompress, and I thought it might be nice after the loss. I’m sure your head’s been going a mile a minute since the game ended.” He blinks at me. “You put on music for me? The music that I like?” “Yeah,” I say, and I’m painfully aware I might have severely overstepped a boundary he shared with me in a moment of regret. “Lacey,” he says, and his voice is ragged and strained. “This is—thank you. I’ve been looking forward to seeing you all night, and

this… this is…” He swallows and scrubs a hand over his face. “I’m really happy right now.” “You are? You don’t look really happy. You look kind of constipated.” A laugh bursts out of him, and he shoves his drink onto the table next to the couch. He holds out his arms. “Can I hug you?” he asks, and I’ve never nodded so adamantly in my life. I move toward him, and his palms settle on my hips. I rest my chin in the crook of his neck, and my hands grab a fistful of his shirt. “Talk to me,” I whisper, because I’m desperate to make sure he doesn’t carry these burdens alone. “You don’t have to be perfectly put together around me, Shawn. You can let it out. You’re allowed to be a little broken. I won’t think any less of you.” “Today was horrible. The loss sucks, yeah. But the guys acted like they’ve never played a game of football before in their lives. Dallas was swinging at people. My quarterback thinks he messed up when it’s my fault we ran the ball instead of kicked. I had to listen to a reporter try and blame the loss on my relationship with you. And to top it all off, I read some of the comments on social media after the game, and they’re all shitty. Saying we should dismantle the team. That I’m overpaid. That you’re a distraction and women have no place in sports.” He exhales, and the sigh tickles my forehead. “It’s a lot.” “What can I do to help?” I ask. “Right now, what can I do?” “Nothing. Being here with you is enough.” He runs his fingers through my hair, and I let out...

“The guys will bounce back,” I say softly. I trace the outline of one of his tattoos—a bouquet of pretty purple flowers, right below his bicep—and drag my nails down his skin. “Fuck that reporter, and fuck the people on social media. So what if the game didn’t go how you thought it would? Big deal. Everyone made it on the plane healthy. Everyone made it home in one piece, and the good news is you can start again tomorrow. You can adjust. That’s why the Titans hired you—because you know how to problem solve. You know how to fix things. I don’t know much about football, but I know your heart and your drive. I know you’re going to lead those guys to their best season yet...

“Thank you,” he whispers. “Thank you for being my friend. Thank you for… for being a safe place for me. Thank you for letting me be here. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.” It’s vulnerable and earnest, such a juxtaposition from the coach who threw a headset at the wall after the game and nearly told a reporter to fuck off. This is who the real Shawn Holmes is—a man with the kindest soul and the gentlest heart. He pulls me close—closer to him, so we’re almost fused as one. I smile and close my eyes. Our relationship might be fake, but I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else either. Here with him is magic.

“Lacey girl,” he whispers. I love when he calls me that. His fingers trace my jaw and fan out across my sternum. It’s the same spot he touched when he kissed me at the game, a frenzied search for bare skin that left me feeling dizzy and lightheaded. I feel the same way now. I lift my chin, and it’s an invitation for him to kiss me if he wanted to. A door to open to make this something more than a pretend relationship. Shawn’s eyes bounce to my mouth, and I think he’s considering it. His lips part, and he sucks in a sharp breath. He leans in closer, and his nose brushes against mine. How is he this warm? It’s thirty degrees outside, and he’s keeping me from shivering. I can feel the heat from his hand over the fabric of my sweater, and I want to feel that heat everywhere.

Fuck. Okay. Are we doing this? “Smile!” We jump apart like we’ve been caught doing something illegal. I guess we were doing something wrong; kissing my best friend is not allowed to happen. Darcy, the team’s assistant, is beaming at us. She holds up her phone and taps the screen. “Darcy,” Shawn says, and I’ve never heard him so irritated before. Her name sounds like venom, and maybe he’s not as nice as I thought he was. “What do you need?” “I’m taking some photos for the team’s social media accounts,” she explains. “People love to see the guys doing everyday things like learning how to ice skate. Can you two get together?” “Sure,” I say brightly. I wiggle across the small bench until my shoulder presses against Shawn’s. “How’s that?” “You look like you two don’t know each other. Can you at least pretend like you enjoy each other’s company?” she laughs and angles her phone down. “You can’t be out of the honeymoon phase already.” Shawn puts his arm around my waist. I rest my hand on the center of his chest, and I can feel his heart racing under the tips of my fingers. I sneak a look at him, and his cheeks are pink. It’s almost like he’s winded and trying to take in as much oxygen as he can. “Smile, Lacey girl,” he murmurs, and it sends a shiver down my spine. “You can pretend you like me for a minute, right?” “It’ll take a lot of energy, but I’ll survive,” I say out of the corner of my mouth as Darcy snaps away. “Why do you call me Lacey girl? It’s the only pet name you’ve e...

“Because I can tell you don’t hate it. And because you’re my girl.” I’m going to burst into flames. Incendiary tension sparks and cackles between us, and I’m close to pulling away. I need to pull away. His orbit is too strong, too powerful to b...

“Oh,” I say, and I’ve lost all train of thought. “I don’t hate it. I—I like it. I like it a lot.” “I know you do. You’re so easy to read, Lacey.” Shawn glances at Darcy. “Did you get what you need?” “Yeah.” She slips her phone in her pocket. “Thank you. The fans are going to adore these. They’ll be the first photos of you two on our accounts. I know you released a statement, but words come and go. Pictures are forever.” Darcy waves and disappears, heading for the candy cane trail. “Want to hit the rink again?” Shawn asks, and I nod. “Sure.” I stand up and toss my empty water bottle in the garbage can. “Do you still need my help?” His eyes meet mine, and he holds out his hand. “Please,” he says, and I like how that word sounds coming from him.

“Maybe I found something I like more than Skittles.” “I don’t care what you do with your personal time,” I say. “Just wrap it up, and don’t be a dick to her.” “Ah, Coach.” He pats my chest and points toward the crowd. “You might care what I do with my personal time.” “What are you—” I stop talking when I spot Lacey standing in the front row of seats, just like she always does. Except today she’s not wearing my jersey. She’s wearing Dallas’. “What the fuck?” “She asked Darcy for one of my jerseys. I even signed it for her. Don’t tell me there’s already trouble in paradise?” Dallas asks, and I hear the smirk in his voice. “Can’t keep your lady satisfied, old man?” “Get in the locker room,” I say through clenched teeth. “Before I bench you for the second half. Or the rest of the goddamn season.” Dallas laughs and pulls away from me. “You got it, Coach. You don’t need to worry, though. It’s all fun and games. What’s life if you can’t laugh with the person you love, right? See ya back there.” He disappears, and I rub my jaw. Lacey is turned to the side and talking to Maggie. She uses her hands to gesture animatedly about something, and I watch her for a minute. I notice the way she tips her head back and laughs. The long stretch of her neck, barely visible under her white turtleneck. And that fucking jersey. I want to rip it from her body. Tear it to shreds and leave it in a dozen pieces at her feet. I want to pull it off her with my teeth and make sure it’s my last name stretc...

So why the fuck am I pissed she’s wearing a jersey that’s not mine? I pull off my headset and jog toward the stands, waving to my friends as I approach them. “Shawn,” Maggie yells from above me. “Great game so far.” “Think the guys could score a couple more touchdowns?” Aiden asks. “Jett’s on my fantasy team, and I could use a bigger buffer.” “I’ll get right on that,” I say, and I drag my eyes to Lacey. “Can you come down to the tunnel?” “Sure.” She fiddles with her necklace and swallows. “Is everything okay?”

“Everything is just fine.” I grin and hitch my thumb over my shoulder. “I’ll give security the okay. Meet me by the supply closet in three minutes.” I shove my hands in my pockets and stride across the turf toward the tunnel. It’s going to take her longer to get there, but it’ll give me a minute to clear my head. To take a deep breath and think this through. I need to think this through. I nod toward the security guard waiting near the locker room, and I pace back and forth over the concrete floor. Lacey wore that jersey to get a rise out of me. I know her; she’s playing a game. I don’t know what the end result is going to be, but she’s trying to push my buttons, and I hate that it’s working. “Hey.” Lacey runs up and clutches her side. “Are you okay? Is it a panic attack? What can I do to help?” That jealousy goes away. The roar in my chest settles, and I blink at her. “No. It’s not that.” I pull her into a supply closet and close the door behind us. I turn on the small overhead light and stare at her. “Why are you wearing Dallas’ jersey when you’re supposed to be dating me?” “Oh.” She laughs, but it’s feeble. Strangled and nervous, I think. “Um. I don’t have a Titans jersey. I thought I should get one.” I hum and take a step closer to her. Her back connects with the shelving unit behind her, and the boxes on the shelves rattle. She watches me, but I don’t back down. “Interesting. And this was a sudden change of heart?” I ask. “A spur-of-the-moment decision?”

“Yes,” she whispers. “I’m just trying to be a supportive fan.” “So it wasn’t to piss me off? To see how I’d react?” I put my hands on either side of her head and cage her in. “A way to get me to remind you that you’re mine?” “Am I yours?” she asks. She reaches out and grabs my shirt, her gaze meeting mine. “I’m not sure that I am.” My eyes bounces to her mouth. Fuck, I want those lips around my cock. I want to kiss her. I want to hear what kind of sounds she makes. I want to drop to my knees and bury my head and tongue between her legs. I need to walk away from her because I’m six seconds from acting on these lowered inhibitions, and that would get me in serious trouble. I’m not allowed to want her, but I do anyway. “Lacey,” I croak. My right hand curls into a fist, and it takes every ounce of self-control to pull away from her. “Do it,” she whispers, and she lifts her chin in a dare. “I know you want to. I want you to, too.” She’s taunting me, showing off something I can’t have when all I want is just a taste. The smallest bite, then I’ll be satisfied. I’ll be good. I won’t ask for anything else. I grab her by the belt loops of her jeans. I tug her into my chest...

It’s even better than the first time. Lacey’s lips are soft, like little clouds I could curl up and fall asleep on. They’re warm, too, the cold from outside reaching every inch of her except for her mouth. My hand drops to her neck and I hold her there, my thumb at the hollow of her throat, so she can’t escape. She moans, and I swallow the sound down. Hearing her want this, want me, makes me greedy. Selfish. Out of my mind with lust and need. I want her so fucking bad. I convey that through the press of my lips to her cheek. To just below her ear and the space underneath her turtleneck I find when I pull her collar down, on a desperate quest for more of her. My tongue runs up her throat and she makes a noise that’s so sexy, I want to get her to make it again. “Shawn,” she whispers, and my name is a plea. She arches her back and wraps her arms around my neck, in no hurry to break our contact. I scoop her up under her thighs and walk us backward until I find a solid wall. Her legs settle around my waist and her heels press into my lower back, a fire kindling at the base of my spine. I’m hard as hell, and I don’t try to hide it from h...

I need to be inside her. On top of her. Underneath her and at her mercy, so her pretty pink fingernails can leave little claw marks on my shoulders and bare chest. My mouth finds hers again, and she kisses me so hard, I think I leave my body. Her hand trails down my chest and she reaches between us. She cups my length over my joggers, and I almost drop her. “Lacey,” I groan. I get caught up in the moment, and I pull that stupid fucking jersey over her head. I toss it behind me, and I don’t care if I never see it again. My palm sneaks up under her shirt, and I run my thumb along the underside of her breast. “Please,” she says. “Touch me, Shawn.” I can’t tell her no, can I? I pull down the fabric of her fancy bra and I pinch her nipple between my thumb and pointer finger. “Hold your shirt up,” I say, and I don’t recognize my own voice. I’ve never been this turned on before. Close to giving myself a few quick jerks in my pants just so I can finish at the sight of her in front of me. She fumbles with her clothes and pulls the bottom of her shirt up under her chin. I can only see one side of her, but it’s fucking divine. She’s the perfect size, big enough to fit in my hand, and god d...

“Look at you,” I say. I trace the bite marks I left on her fair skin. I twist her nipple until it’s swollen and pointed, and I grin. “So pretty.” Her fingers dance across the outline of my cock, and I lurch forward. God, what I wouldn’t give to have her hand around me. To smear the lipstick on her fuckable mouth and make her eyes fill with tears while she choked on my dick. I want to fill her up until she can’t walk, until she can’t speak, until all she can do is thank me for making her feel good. “Where the hell is he?” someone shouts from the other side of the door to the supply closet, and I freeze. “Halftime is over in two minutes.” “He was just here,” another voice says. “Shit,” I say. I pull Lacey’s bra back in place and make sure her shirt covers her stomach. I set her down on the ground and adjust my pants. “We need to go. I need to go.” “Okay.” She nods and touches her mouth. “The game.” “The game.” “Should we—” she swallows, and her eyes drag down my body. She licks her lips when she sees the hard on I’m sporting, and color invades my cheeks at the satisfied twinkle in her eye. “Le...

“Shawn?” I open my eyes when she says my name. She wrings her hands together and fixes her hair. I think she’s avoiding eye contact, because she’s looking at everything but me now. “Yeah?” I ask. “We’re—we’re okay, right?” “Of course we’re okay, Lacey girl.” I kiss her forehead and squeeze her shoulder. “Just don’t even think about putting Dallas’ jersey back on. Next time, I’ll cut it off you.” Lacey laughs and bobs her head. “Okay. Only your jersey from now on,” she says. “Atta girl.” I tap her hip. “I’ll see you after the game.” “Good luck in the second half, angel,” she says. “No. I hate that, too.” “You’ll find something you like.” I wink and roll my shoulders back. “Cheer loud for us, Lace Face.” “Always, Shawn Yawn.” She gives me one more look, then turns and heads for the door. She slips out into the tunnel, and I let out a breath. I want to tell her to come back, but I know I can’t. This ...

“Just once?” he asks slowly, like he’s trying to process what I’ve asked and is seriously considering going along with the idea. “Just once. We have one good night, and then tomorrow it’s like nothing happened,” I say. “You want me to finger you and then pretend like it never happened?” I swallow and play with the zipper on my boot. “Yes.” “You want to say my name when you come and then pretend like it never happened?” “Mhm. That’s exactly right.” “You want me to taste your pussy then sit down next to you at Maggie and Aiden’s house for dinner and pretend like it never happened?” Shawn asks, and I nod. “Yup. We’re adults. We’ve both had one-night stands before. What makes this any different?” “Because we’re best friends who constantly orbit in each other’s vicinity,” he says. “We’re going to see each other on holidays for the next forty years. What if it’s awkward?” “You saw my boob, Shawn,” I say again. “I touched your dick. But here we are, having a conversation like it’s no big deal.”

He runs his hand through his hair and leans forward. “If we do this, we don’t tell anyone,” he says. “Not Maggie. Not Aiden. No one. It’s just between us.” “Fine,” I agree. “One time. That’s it.” “That’s what I said.” “We stop if anything feels weird,” he says. “Define weird,” I ask, and he levels me with a look. “Like when I tell you to sit on my face and you start to giggle,” Shawn answers. “That means it feels weird.” Oh. I squeeze my thighs together. I do want to sit on his face. There’s nothing weird about that. “Okay,” I say, and my voice is barely above a whisper. “That’s fair.” He throws back the rest of his drink and wipes his mouth. “We’re going to do this my way.” “And what way is that? A quick fuck, then you send me home?” I ask. Shawn shakes his head. He moves across the couch and lifts me into his lap. His fingers graze up my thigh, and I think I’m going to die. I can feel him hard beneath me, and his cock presses into the curve of my ass. “No, Lacey girl,” he whispers in my ear. He brushes my hair to the side and drags his teeth down my neck. I let out a shallow breath and close my eyes. “If we’re going to do this, we’re going to do it right. I’m going to take my time. I’m going to savor you. I’m going to have you every way I want, and fuck, do I want you.” He folds his palm around my leg, and he spreads my thighs apart with a gentle

shove. “Open up. Let me see how bad you want me to slide my fingers inside your pretty cunt.” Oh, hell. My knees open, and I relax against him. I feel my heart race in my chest, and I’ve never been so turned on in my life. This man knows what he’s doing. He’s someone who knows how to please and what gets a woman off. There’s not a selfish bone in his body, and that’s going to spill over into the bedroom, too. I just know it. “Shawn,” I say, and I tremble against him. “Last chance to back out, Lacey,” he says. He kisses my ear, and his fingers tap against the inside of my thigh. “Because once you tell me yes, I’m going to make sure no man is ever good enough for you again.” “Yes. Yes. Yes, Shawn,” I say. I think I might shout it. I might scream it a hundred different ways because he hums at my enthusiasm. “You thought you could come over here in this outfit of yours and get me to do what you want, didn’t you?” Shawn pulls the left side of my sweater down, and cold air bites against my bare skin. “Would you have gotten on your knees for me, Lacey?” “Not before you got on yours first.” He chuckles and works the strap of my bra down. My nipples are already hard, and my back arches a...

I want to ruin her, but I can’t ruin my best friend. She’s too good. But if I only get her once, I’m going to make sure she won’t forget me anytime soon. I’m going to claim her, so every time someone else is inside her, she’ll be thinking of me. I lift her off my lap so she’s standing. She wobbles on her feet and turns to look at me. “Take off all your clothes,” I say, and I lean back against the couch, palming myself through my sweatpants. “I want to watch.”

“Do you want me to go slow?” She unbuttons the first button on her short skirt, and my cock twitches under my hand. “Or do you like to go fast?” “Slow,” I say, and I’m losing all mental capabilities. I thought I was a smart man, but when she unfastens the second button and I can see the top of her thong, I can’t remember my name. “Fuck, you’re so hot.” “You sure know how to make a girl feel special,” she murmurs. The last button comes undone, and with it, so does my sanity. Lacey turns around and bends at the waist, shimmying the skirt halfway down her ass. She runs her palms over her ass cheeks, and I lean forward. I take her underwear in my teeth, and when I snap the elastic against her skin, she lets out a whine. “Off. I told you I wanted to see your pretty cunt,” I say. Her skirt falls to her feet and she steps out of it. I’m breathing so hard, you’d think I was running a marathon. Mile twenty, when your legs start to ache and your lungs begin to burn. Looking at her like this is suspiciously close to what I imagine heaven is going to be like.

“If you don’t touch me,” she says, “I’m going to do it myself.” “Like you’ll get any argument from me,” I say. I shove my hand down my sweatpants and give my cock a tug. I can’t not touch myself while I watch her. She’s a goddess. My eyes roam down her body and I appreciate the figure I’ve only ever seen with clothes on; her nice tits. Her flat stomach. The thighs I want to suffocate me when I put my head between her legs. Her bare pussy and the glistening arousal I can see from here. “I thought about you,” she whispers. Her fingers tease across her stomach and up the inside of her thigh, and I’m close to panting like a dog. “This morning. I pretended it was you fucking me, not my toy.” Jesus Christ. I’ve never been with a woman so confident. Someone who tells you exactly what they want with no shame. It’s the biggest turn on, and I’ve never been so glad for a late-night text message in my life. “Was it good?” I ask. My voice is thick with lust, and I stroke myself again. “Did you like playing with yourself and thinking it was me?” “I know you’d be better.” Her smile is wicked and her eyes flicker with mischief. “You’d take such good care of me.”

“Of course I would.” I grab her and spin her so she falls into my lap. Her legs spread wide, and I give her pussy a light slap. “I told you I take care of what’s mine, Lacey, and you’re mine.” I trace my fingers along her entrance. Her moan is soft and long, and I suck on her neck, trying to find all the spots she loves to be touched the most. I hope I leave a mark. Lacey rolls her hips, and I know what she’s asking for. She’s practically grinding against me. “Shawn.” Her hands rest on my thighs, and her nails dig into my muscles. “I’m naked and in your lap. What do I have to do to get you to finger me? Beg?” I laugh and kiss her forehead. I wrap my arm around her waist and circle her clit. “I thought I was supposed to get on my knees first,” I say in her ear, and she smiles. “One of us better soon, or I’m leaving.” “I’m going to take my time, remember?” I slip my finger inside her, and she groans. “Fuck, Lacey. You’re so tight.” “So much better than a toy,” she pants, and I grin. “Let’s get you ready for my cock. You want that, don’t you?” “More than I want anything else.” “Needy slut, aren’t you?” I whisper, and my free hand wraps around her throat. “Only for you,” she says, and I almost blow a load in my pants. God help me when I fuck her. I slide my finger out of her and bring it to her mouth. I trace her lips until they’re coated in her arousal and I lean forward to kiss her. My tongue runs along the seam of her mouth, tasting her, and she’s better than the finest des...

I switch our positions again, and I move Lacey to the couch. I drop to my knees in front of her and my gaze bounces all over her body. Her skin is flushed pink and her hair is a mess. Her chest rises and falls and she’s watching me with hunger in her eyes. “Hold yourself open,” I say roughly, and she grabs her legs under her knees faster than I can blink. Her thighs widen, and I fucking love seeing her up close. “There you go. Just like that. You’re such a good girl for me.” I see her melt at the praise. She blushes an even deeper shade of red, and her ass wiggles on the cushions. Her lips pull up in a smile, and she’s waiting to hear what else she’s doing right. “So good,” I whisper against her mouth. I kiss her softly, distracting her as I slide two fingers inside her. She arches forward, and I sit up on my knees so I can get two knuckles deep. “But you also want to be a little bad, don’t you, Lacey girl? You can be both with me.” “Yes,” she whispers. Her eyes are full of tears, but she tips her chin up so I can kiss her again. “I want to be both for you, Shawn.” “That makes me so happy, Lacey. God, your pussy likes my fingers, doesn’t it? You’re fucking dripping on my hand. I...

“A toy isn’t going to cut it anymore, is it? You’re going to be dreaming about me when you play with yourself from now on, wishing you had my fingers to fuck. My tongue to lick up your mess.” “You, Shawn. I need you.” She needs me. I have to squeeze my eyes shut so I don’t combust. I can’t finish before I fuck her, but every time she clenches around me, it’s getting harder and harder to control that urge to not just let go. I bite the soft skin of her thigh. “God damn Lacey, the way you tighten around my fingers drives me crazy. I can’t wait until I can come inside you. I’m going to...

“Hi,” she says, and she pushes up on her elbows. “That was…” “What you came here for?” I ask, and her lips curl up into a smile. “Better than I could have ever imagined.” Her eyes flick to the front of my pants, and she reaches for me. “Come here.” I move toward her, and she kisses me. She snakes her hand down my body and pulls on the waistband of my joggers. “Ask to take them off,” I say, and her cheeks turn as red as fire. “Can I take them off, Shawn?” she asks, following directions. I lift an eyebrow, and she squirms. “Please?”

I like hearing her say that. It makes me feel on top of the world. I scoop her up in my arms and head for my bedroom. “Only because you asked so nicely, sweetheart.”

He sets me down on the mattress and takes a step back. I’m completely naked while he still has all of his clothes on, and there’s a moment of self-consciousness. A second where I feel like this is entirely one-sided and he doesn’t want me like I want him. I cover my chest with my hands and Shawn shakes his head. “Don’t do that,” he says, and he pulls his shirt over his head. “Don’t hide, Lacey girl. Not from me.” The endearment lodges itself between my breasts. Behind my ribs, dangerously close to my heart, because I’m his girl. At least for the next few weeks. I stare at him as he undresses, and god, Shawn is a devastating man. The tattoos that go down his left arm span across his chest, too, right over his pectoral muscle. There’s an array of colors and shapes and designs, and I want to learn what each one means. His body doesn’t seem real but something an artist created. Sharp lines. Powerful muscles. Tan skin. A dusting of dark hair that trails down his stomach. I stop breathing when he pulls off his sweatpants and lets them fall to the floor. He’s not wearing any underwear, and seeing him naked makes my mouth go dry. His cock hangs thick and heavy between his legs and I watch his fingers fold around his length as he gives himself a tug. I don’t know where to look; it’s hard to focus on one spot when there’s so much I want to see. My eyes drag back to Shawn’s, and he’s watching me with heat behind his gaze. “I’ll never hide from you,” I say. I hold out my hand and he t...